I didn’t want to resurrect an old thread but I’m equally apologetic for raising the topic again… I’m still quite keen on Point 1 in this post;
“add/view “Chorus” or “Verse” or “Bridge” label on a marker as the Media File is playing back would be very useful - including the ability to name this marker/label.”
This doesn’t necessarily have to be when then file is playing but the ability to add a “marker” or “flag” would still be incredibly useful to identify certain parts of a media file playing. As mentioned this isn’t for the purpose of creating play ranges, only for a visual indicator. Is there anyone that would find this useful? Does this already exist and I haven’t spotted it? If not I’ll press on and rehearse a little more
This does not exist. There are future plans to remodel the media playback to a track based daw model so any extra suggestions toward that revamp might get included. @brad would need to be aware of it if it’s not already on a trello card.
Yep, right now I’m in the process of designing how all this is going to work for a overhaul of this area. Take a look at Trello list “Media/Transport Related” - these are the things I’ll be considering - feel free to add comments either here or directly on the trello cards.
Hi All, I know things are tough everywhere these days but in the spirit of keeping our minds occupied in the service of bettering this tool I am reviving this thread for any new ideas or comments for the proposed media player overhaul. I know it is a long term project so any place to gather all the users thoughts will help. Here is the current Trello line up Brad is looking at.
Are there any other new thoughts on this area of discussion?
I have this bullet list I started on that excludes the current Trello entries
Integrate the separate players and the recorder into a track slot style GUI in a separate pane for the song and the rack levels with undo support
Integrate Wav64 Multi-track recording support so recordings load into track slots automatically ala Audacity
optional Wav to Mp3 conversion for recorded files to conserve disk space and memory use
Solo and Mute per track
Timeline based visually overlaid envelopes for gain, pan and automation envelopes for VST FX and processing units on all Audio tracks
On MIDI tracks add timeline based MIDI CC overlaid envelopes for gain, pan and FX
Timeline based bindings triggers for system, MIDI and Program (already implemented)
Overdub loop based recording for MIDI to build backing loop tracks
All the points I listed are things I would use as a live music player. I know it is a live music tool but the definition of that is very broad in this day and age and many musicians are not DAW people and they could now create their backing tracks, practice evaluations, MIDI automation in this one tool for use on stage or at home practice. And stem management for transfer to a DAW is already possible if you want to do that.
This is a large area of discussion so I will open up with one of the bullets in more detail. The first bullet point deals with the integration of the recorder and the media players into a separate pane. One of the complaints was that the sync modes didn’t work in the racks. I propose that we remove media players from racks and manage all media at song level in a single media player/recorder pane. This would be hopefully co-ordinate with the Set list preloading to optimize the available resources, which is the argument for linked racks with media players. I think rounding it up into one place is a good way forward. This would possibly wreak havoc on already designed songs so a migration tool would hopefully be possible.
For this scheme I proposed to be easy to use the main transport bar would be of particular interest as to how to integrate it into things. This is where I would invite any thoughts on this scheme and how to integrate the transport controls (including the metronome), please chime in!
Dave… That’s an awesome additional list to start with and I’m sure other things will come up once those have been implemented as they tend to do with other topics after Brad integrates them into the latest version. If that entire list can be implemented, as someone who uses self created backing tracks, I would think I had died and gone to heaven. More than 3/4 of those I would use on a regular basis. Being able to create MP3s from wave files without doing the usual transfer to a DAW or audacity would save me in particular tons of time.
This is a complex wicket for sure … the more I ponder it the more considerations I see that Brad must take into account before attacking this one. But time to ponder is is abundance these days so I will roll it over in my head some more.
Dave,
You are correct about time to ponder, but I’m pretty sure if anyone can pull a rabbit out of their ***…uh hat, it’s Brad. While I said I would use 3/4 of the things you mentioned, I would settle for 1/4 of them being implemented. When I look back, just over the last year at what he has cranked out in version after version, if I was a betting man, I would be at the window laying it all down for win, place and show.
All great Timeline ideas from Hunter_Barr & dave_dore.
For sure a complex set of ideas to implement.
Here’s my 2 cents of ideas for the Timeline;
I would like the ability to have a timeline based tempo track. BPM & time signature changes could be executed by markers on the timeline or even better, overlaid envelopes to create ritardando & accelerando changes. If this is possible, audio backing tracks would have to be able to sync to it also.
To get around this, I currently use my DAW to create audio backing tracks and MIDI master clock track and import them into Cantabile. Having the ability to tweak the tempo from Canabile’s timeline would be time savingly useful.
Also want to say Brad has done an great job helping us musicians. Thanks Brad!
This is definitely high on my priority list, however with all that’s going on I’m a bit distracted. I’ve also been swamped with support these last couple of weeks - not sure why that is, more people staying home with time on their hands I suppose. Yesterday I spent the entire day going through about 50+ support emails and a dozen or so crash reports.
Anyway I will get to it, but it’s a complex piece of work and I need to properly focused before diving in. In the meantime, I’m going to try to just knock off the occasional smaller pieces of work.
That said, I’ve been thinking about this entire area for a long time now and what’s been described is pretty close to how I’m imagining things. Please keep posting thoughts and ideas - it’s all important info which I highly value.
Thanks for touching base Brad and thanks to all posters for any wish list ideas in this area. I have a few things to add to the bullet list.
MIDI recording of Metronome Measure and Beat
Metronome Measure and Beat as Bindings source for user made touch pad control surfaces as metronome indicators
MIDI transmit of Metronome Measure and Beats to new display on Web server GUI
addition of next and previous cue marker buttons to the media player slot to quick jump from marker to marker. i.e. verse to chorus to bridge in real use
After more thought on bunching the media players into slots in a separate pane as tracks I now see where it breaks the flexibility of being able to add a media player at song level and at rack level easily like we can now and it would mess with the graphical interface as well. And also it would force a learn curve for users that isn’t cool either so I think using the Cantabile 2 method of having a drop-down expander window on each media player is the way to go. Users could stack media player slots to view multi track events and build their own media player areas according to their needs.
Of course the graphics would match C3’s themes and there would be some new control buttons on the slot that would be added. This way forward would maintain the look and feel of C3 but supercharge the media player slots we already manipulate. Hopefully it would aid in backward compatibility as well.
Hi @brad - I just wanted to pop by and say “THANK YOU”. Sincerely, this is really so so helpful to be able to rehearse parts with ease with a band and with the bindings makes things a breeze. So thank you - incredibly grateful for all your efforts here (with the rest of the latest build too) - phenomenal work, sir!
@brad So impressed with your continued tenacity to make Cantabile better and better. You’ve got my continued business and support for that.
With regards the transport overhaul…
I would like more flexibility to add events based on Timeline - Song State changes based on designated ‘Verse’, ‘Chorus’, ‘Middle 8’ and such.
I would like to be able to move the sync point of the Timeline, such that I can align bars and beats with an audio file. Maybe for some people a tempo/time sig map might be desirable?
